Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 4 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 28

There is no question but that success depends upon energy directed by intelligence, and courage undaunted by adversity. It is often that the plans of men are thwarted by circumstances over which they have little or no control, but if they could through industry and perseverance overcome the seemingly insurmountable difficulties, as R. W. Briscoe has done, success would come to them as it has come to him.

He was born in Lewis County, Mo., in 1863. His parents were natives of Kentucky, but were married in Missouri. The father was a farmer in Missouri, but in the fall of 1886 came to California with his family and settled west of Malaga, buying land of the Briggs Estate. The family at this time consisted of the father, Walter H., and mother, Mary E. (Wallace) Briscoe, and four children: James W., now an oil man in the Kern River field; Robert W.; Eliza, unmarried, a milliner in Porterville; and Gertrude, now Mrs. Melvin Stone. When they came to California the father became a fruit-grower and soon interested himself in the oil business, and owned wells in Kern County. He died eight years ago at the age of seventy-three years. The mother is living at Bakersfield, and is in good health at the age of seventy-nine.

R. W. Briscoe grew up on a farm in Lewis County, Mo., and attended the common schools and a graded private academy at Gilead, Mo. He came with his father's family to California in 1886. He followed farming and cattle feeding in Missouri for two years. On coming to California he bought forty acres of land from the Briggs Estate, one and a quarter miles southwest of Malaga, improving it and planting it to vines, fig and prune trees, and alfalfa.

On December 25, 1888, Mr. Briscoe went back east to Indiana and was married at Kokomo to Miss Elizabeth Caroline Mugg, daughter of Tames and Catharine (Ingels) Mugg, and who is a descendant of Daniel Boone, the great Kentuckian. She attended Franklin College, Franklin, Ind., one year, and two years at La Grange College, Mo., and it was in her college days that the acquaintance began that led to their union. Their honeymoon trip ended in Fresno County, Cal., where Mr. Briscoe resumed his farming and fruit-raising.

In the early nineties Mr. Briscoe was hard hit by the panic that landed so many men high and dry. He had purchased heavily in land, could not meet his payments and lost his possessions. Here is where grit and determination, backed up by the optimism of his wife, came to the rescue. He started again, and now he owns 1,100 acres in various localities. The home ranch consists of forty acres in muscat grapes; 120 acres near Skaggs Bridge, close to Kerman, in vineyard; 100 acres in the De Wolf District, in vineyard; also he has 730 acres near Sanger which he bought last year, which he uses as a stock ranch. In 1917 he had planted 100 acres in corn and built three silos, and he also had 100 acres in corn in 1918. To use up all this feed he has 240 head of cattle mostly feeders, 300 hogs, 20 mules and horses. He has sold 160 acres of land to his four oldest sons. In his time, Mr. Briscoe has planted over 500 acres to vineyards. In 1909 he raised twenty-three carloads of raisins, all his own, seven cars of which he shipped to Minneapolis. He is actively interested in the Raisin Growers Association.

In the cultivation of his vast holdings, Mr. Briscoe has used all of the latest improved farming implements, and brings to his aid three tractors, the Moline, the Case and the Fitch. He finds them invaluable in the cultivation of his vineyards as they do most excellent work, and as more than half of his land is in vineyards, it is necessary that he use such machinery as will do the work among the vines. He has resisted the temptation to go largely into the oil business, but did venture into that field a few years ago, and came out about even. Mr. Briscoe has kept aloof from politics, but is greatly interested in education, and has served on the election board for fifteen years. Having so many interests and they being somewhat scattered, Mr. Briscoe does business in Sanger, Fowler, Malaga, Fresno and Kerman, and as a consequence has a large acquaintanceship among the business men of these communities, and is highly esteemed by all of them.

Mr. Briscoe and W. R. Nutting, now of Fresno, got the first one hundred members to the Raisin Growers Exchange, and this was the foundation of the California Raisin Growers Association which has been of such benefit to raisin-growers in the San Joaquin Valley.

Mr. Briscoe is an untiring worker, and since the war began has been doing almost double duty, putting in at times as much as twenty hours a day. He is a man of excellent judgment and has great executive ability. He is kindly considerate, and public-spirited. His wife is an accomplished woman, a devoted mother, and a worthy helpmeet. Their home is surrounded with the things that make for high standards of living, and abounds with good books, farm periodicals and papers. Their family is most interesting, and consists of seven children: Ernest, married to Margaret Weimert, of Fresno, ranchers, living near the De Wolf school; Elmer, married to Delcie Barr, lives in the same vicinity; Walter married Gladys Wells, of the same vicinity: James, a soldier in France; Roy, now at home; Beryl, a senior in Fowler High School; and Fred, in the grammar school. All the older boys attended Heald's Business College at Fresno.

Most highly esteemed by all who know them, it was a happy day indeed, when in 1886, the Briscoe family cast their lot in Fresno County. Fresno and Fresno County will ever extend a hearty welcome to men of Mr. Briscoe's character.